Reciprocating lint-removing device for knitting machine



Jan. 21, 1969 A. ABRAMS 3,422,640

RECIPROCATING LINT'REMOVINC' DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1967 Sheet of 2 84 FIG. 1

INVENTOR.

r? Abrams ATTORNEY A. ABRAMS Jan. 21, 1969 RECIPROCATING LINT-REMOVING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINE Sheet Filed May 4, 1967 FIG.4

United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lint-removing device for a circular knitting machine of the dial and cylinder type is adapted to be received between the spider and needle dial of the machine to maintain the area between these elements free from lint. The device includes a plurality of nozzles which are connected to a source of fluid under pressure. The nozzles are movably mounted on the dial cam plate by appropriate means. Actuator means are provided for reciprocating each nozzle over a preselected area so that any one nozzle will maintain the elements of the knitting machine within this area free from lint or the accumulation thereof.

This invention relates generally to a lint-removing device for knitting machines, and, more particularly, pertains to a lint-removing device having a plurality of fluidexpelling nozzles which are adapted to be oscillated or reciprocated about portions of a circular knitting machine to prevent the accumulation of lint on such portions of the machine.

It is a known fact that the friction between knitting yarns or threads in a knitting machine and those portions of the machine with which the yarn comes into contact, such as thread guides and the like, cause the fibers comprising the yarns to separate and accumulate as lint on these and adjacent areas of the machine. This action necessitates periodic cleaning of the machine to remove the lint thereby causing the overall operation of the machine to be extremely inefficient and uneconomic.

In order to eliminate the above disadvantages, devices have been provided in the past for directing a fluid such as air at selected portions of the knitting machine to maintain the same free from lint. However, these devices have been found to have severe drawbacks associated with their use. For example, one class of devices utilize stationary nozzles which direct a low pressure fluid at the selected portions of the machine to be cleaned. However, the area cleaned by the jets of fluid is relatively small, and, as a result, the lint accumulates on adjacent critical portions of the knitting machine outside the area encompassed by the jets of air.

On the other hand, some of the other prior art lintremoving devices have been provided with nozzles which are rotatable with respect to the knitting machine so that the jets of fluid issuing from: the nozzles will cover a wider area. However, the use of rotating nozzles is not feasible on cylinder and dial circular knitting machines because the large hub which is required to support the dial prevents the use of such rotatable devices in the rather limited area below the cross-arms or spider of the machine. In consequence, When it was desired to provide circular knitting machines with rotatable nozzles, such rotatable devices had to be located above the spider. As a result, the nozzles were spaced from the operative elements of the machine by a distance which, for all intents and purposes, rendered the nozzles or jets of fluid ineffective. While the effect of these jets on the lower portions of the knitting machine could be increased somewhat by increasing the pressure of the fluid, it was found that the distance rendered even such high pressure jets ineffective and/or that such high pressure jets of fluid deflected the yarns away from the needles thereby producing a low-quality product.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lint-removing device which is adapted to be located below the spider on a dial and cylinder circular knitting machine and which is operable to prevent the accumulation of lint over substantially wide areas.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lint-removing device for a circular knitting machine of the cylinder and dial type which is effective in operation and reliable in performance.

Another object of the present invention resides in the novel details of construction which provide a lint-removing device of the type described for a knitting machine which is compatible for use in existing dial and cylinder circular knitting machines.

In furtherance of the above objects, the lint-removing device of the present invention includes a fluid distributing device. Support means are provided on the dial cam plate of a dial and cylinder circular knitting machine for movably supporting the fluid distributing device between the dial cam plate and the spider of the machine. Connecting means connect the fluid distributing device with a source of fluid under pressure. The fluid distributing device includes at least one opening which is positioned to direct the fluid issuing therefrom at preselected ones of feeder plates which are mounted on the dial cam plate of the circular knitting machine. Reciprocating actuating means are connected to the fluid distributing device for oscillating the fluid distributing device relative to the feeder plates on the dial cam plate so that the fluid issuing from the opening is moved over a predetermined area of the knitting machine to remove lint from the elements of the knitting machine within the area covered by the impinging fluid and to preevnt the accumulation of lint thereon.

Accordingly, a feature of the present invention is to provide an oscillating fluid distributing device which is positioned below the spider of a dial and cylinder circular knitting machine to prevent the accumulation of lint over substantially wide areas of the machine.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a dial and cylinder type circular knitting machine which is provided with a reciprocating lint-removing device constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan vie-w of the device shown in FIG. 1 as seen looking along the line 22, with portions of the machine removed for the sake of clarity.

FIG. 3 is a perspective detailed view of the reciprocating lint-removing device of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a modified embodiment of a lint-removing device constructed according to the present invention, with parts broken away.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the present invention, a conventional dial and cylinder type circular knitting machine Will be described first. This will be followed by a description of the lint-removing device of the present invention.

Accordingly, a conventional circular knitting machine of the dial and cylinder type is illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The knitting machine 10- includes a top plate 12 which mounts a rotary needle cylinder 14, a fixed or stationary cylinder cam box 16, a rotary needle dial 18 and a stationary dial cam plate 20 which supports the needle dial 1 8. Mounted on the cam plate 20 are a plurality of feeder plates 22 which are provided with yarn guides 24 (see FIG. 2).

The knitting machine further includes a bottom plate which is designated by the reference number 26. Supported on the bottom plate 26 is a motor 28 which is connected in driving relationship to the rotary needle cylinder 14. More particularly, the motor 28 includes an output shaft 30 which is adapted to rotate a vertical drive shaft 32 through intermeshing bevel gears 34 and 36-. A spur pinion 38 is connected to the top of the drive shaft 32 and is in meshing engagement with a cylinder driving gear '40 which, in turn, is adapted to rotate the cylinder 14.

The rotary needle dial 18 is fixed to the bottom end of a center shaft '42 (which is coaxial with the central axis of the machine) which is received within a housing 44 and which is adapted to be driven from the cylinder driving gear via a dial driving or top gear 46 (which is housed in a casing 48), and a vertical side shaft 50 which is rotatable in a hollow upright column 52. The lower end of the shaft 50 is provided with a pinion (not shown) which is in meshing engagement with the gear 40 and is adapted to be driven thereby. The upper end of the shaft 50 is in meshing engagement with the dial driving gear 46 by pinion 54.

The housing 44 is defined by the central boss of a spider which is designated generally by the reference numeral 56 and which supports a central upstanding stem 58 of the dial cam plate 20. More specifically, the spider 56 includes the central boss or housing 44 and a plurality of arms 60 (FIG. 2) which extend radially therefrom. The ends of the arms 60 are provided with respective through bores 62. Underlying the ends of the arms 60 are brackets 64 which are fixedly mounted on the top plate 12 of the knitting machine. Respective bolts 66 extend through bores 62 and an appropriate aperture in the respective brackets 64 and are secured thereto by means of respective nuts 68. Thus, the spider 56 is supported on the top plate 12 by the brackets 64.

A bottom gear 70 is provided to drive a rotary carrier plate (not shown) for the fabric winding-down mechanism (not shown). The bottom gear 70 is driven by a spur pinion 72 which is secured to the lower end of the shaft 32.

The casing 48 which receives the dial driving gear 46 is provided with a hollow upstanding boss 74 which rotatably receives a rod 76 upon which is mounted a bobbin support 78. Secured to the upper end of the rod 76 is an annular carrier 80 which supports circumferentially spaced tension controlling arms 82 and stop motion devices 84.

The operation of the machine thus far described is conventional and will not be described in detail herein. If further information on this subject is desired, the reader is referred to the many texts relating to circular knitting machines of this type.

The lint-removing device constructed according to the present invention for use in conjunction with the machine 10 described hereinabove is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 86. The lint-removing device 86 includes an annular hollow manifold 88 which defines a passage for the movement of a pressurized fluid such as air. Circumferentially spaced about the periphery of the annular manifold '88 are a plurality of radially extending nozzles 90 which terminate in vent end portions 92 which direct the fluid expelled from the nozzle toward the feeder plates 22. In practice, as shown in FIG. 2, one nozzle 90 is provided for every two feeder plates 22. However, this construction is by way of illustration only and is not to be interpreted as being a limitation on the present invention. That is, a nozzle 90 may be provided for more than two feeder plates with a corresponding increase in the distance of travel of a nozzle, as noted below. The pressurized fluid is supplied to the manifold 88 through a flexible coupling or tube 94. A compressor (not shown) may be mounted upon the bottom plate 26 of the machine 10 to supply the pressurized fluid to the manifold 88, or the manifold may be connected to the plant compressed air supply.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention,

the lint-removing device 86 is movably mounted on the machine 10 below the cross-arms 60 of the spider 56 so that the discharge or vent end portion 92 of the nozzles 90 are directed at a respective one of the feeder plates 22. In other words, the jet of fluid issuing forth from the nozzle 90 are specifically directed to an associated feeder plate 22 and the adjacent area thereby to remove lint from and prevent the accumulation or build-up of lint in this vicinity.

The manifold 88 is mounted on the stationary dial cam plate 20 and below the spider 56 for oscillatory or reciprocating movement with respect to these elements by a plurality of circumferentially spaced posts 96. More particularly, the posts 96 are provided in diametrically opposed pairs which support rotatable rollers 99 which engage the inner peripheral wall of the manifold 88 and position the manifold so that it is concentrically located with respect to the central shaft 42 of the knitting machine 10. The rollers 99 are provided with radially extending flanges 98 which are adapted to engage the bottom wall of the manifold 88. The flanges 98 are located so that the nozzles 90 extending from the manifold 88 are spaced in close relation to the feeder plates 22. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the vent end portion 92 of the nozzles 90 are directed downwardly so that the jet of fluid issuing therefrom impinges on the feeder plates 22 and the adja cent areas to maintain these areas and the feeder plates free from lint. Additionally, it is to be noted that the nozzles 90 are spaced outwardly of the yarn guides 24 but inwardly of the yarn so that the nozzles may be oscillated over an arcuate distance encompassing at least two feeder plates without engaging or entangling the yarn which extends through the yarn guards 24. Alternately, the manifold 88 may be mounted so that it surrounds the feeder plates 22. Accordingly, in this latter construction the posts 96 will be located in front of the feeder plates and the nozzles 90 will be directed inwardly toward the feeder plates and the yarn guides 24. Moreover, the rollers 99 are provided with top radially extending flanges 100 which are adapted to engage the top wall of the manifold 88 to prevent upward vertical movement of the manifold.

As noted hereinabove, the annular manifold 88 is adapted to be oscillated or reciprocated in the directions indicated by double arrowhead 101 in FIG. 2 so that the nozzles 90 may be moved over a distance which encompasses at least two of the feeder plates 22. The manifold 88 is oscillated by an actuator assembly which is designated generally by reference numeral 102. The actuator assembly 102 includes a triangular-shaped plate 104 which is fixedly connected to the top wall of the manifold 88. Connected to the plate 104 is the piston rod 106 of a double-ended piston which is received within a piston cylinder 108. The double-ended piston is conventional in operation and includes ports which are adapted to be connected to a supply of pressurized fluid through flexible couplings and 112. The piston cylinder 108 is supported on the knitting machine by appropriate means (not shown).

The flexible couplings 110 and 112 are connected to a source of pressurized fluid (not shown) by an appropriate two-way valve or the like so that the pressurized fluid will alternately be connected to the piston cylinder 108 through the flexible coupling 110 and then through the flexible coupling 112. In other words, as the piston within the piston cylinder 108 nears one end of its stroke, the pressurized fluid will be admitted to the piston cylinder through the opposite flexible coupling, as noted in greater detail hereinbelow, so that the direction of the piston will be reversed. Since the means for accomplishing the aforementioned result is well known it will not be described in detail herein.

Assuming that the knitting machine 10 is operating properly, the operation of the lint-removing device 86 is as follows. Pressurized fluid such as air from an appropriate compressor is supplied to the manifold 88 through the coupling 94. The air circulates through the annular manifold 88 and exits through the plurality of nozzles 90. As noted hereinabove, the vent end or discharge portion 92 of the nozzles 90 is directed downwardly along a line which extends to the feeder plates 22 so that the jet of air issuing from the nozzles 90 is directed at the feeder plates 22 and the adjacent areas which include the cylinder and dial needles. Accordingly, the jet of air will remove any lint which may have accumulated about the feeder plates or those adjacent elements of the machine. It is to be noted that the fluid may be continuously supplied to the manifold 88 so that the air continuously or intermittently issues forth from the nozzle 90.

While these jets of air are cleaning the feeder plates 22 which are located in the path of the jets, pressurized fluid is applied to the piston cylinder 108 through the coupling 112. This action forces the piston rod 106 to move toward the left as taken in FIG. 3. Since the piston rod 106 is connected to the manifold 88 through the plate 104, the manifold 88 will be caused to rotate in a clockwise direction. During the course of movement of the nozzles 90, the jets of air will be directed at different portions of the machine thereby cleaning lint from these portions and preventing the accumulation of lint thereon. In practice, the elements comprising the lint-removing device of the present invention are sized and positioned so that one nozzle 90 will travel from one feeder plate 22 to the next feeder plate 22 and the areas covered by adjacent ones of the pistons will overlap to a slight extent.

After the piston within the piston cylinder 108 has moved to the left-hand end of the cylinder, fluid is then caused to enter the piston cylinder through the coupling 110. Accordingly, the piston rod 106 will reverse its direction and begin to move toward the right. As the piston rod 106 moves toward the right, the annular manifold 88 will move in a counter-clockwise direction thereby returning the nozzles to their original position. Hence, the nozzles 90 will execute a sweeping action as the manifold 88 is oscillated or reciprocated in the clockwise and counterclockwi e directions thereby removing lint and preventing the accumulation thereof over an extremely wide area. As noted above, the elements comprising the present invention are sized and positioned so that the area covered by one nozzle 90 will overlap, to some extent, the area of the knitting machine 10 covered by an adjacent nozzle. Hence, the reciprocating lint-removing device of the present invention will maintain the entire area between the rotary needle dial 18 and the spider 56 free from lint.

Accordingly, a reciprocating lint-removing device has been provided which may be attached to a cylinder and dial type circular knitting machine below the spider which may be moved with respect to the feeder plates to maintain the feeder plates and the adjacent areas of the machine free from lint or the accumulation thereof.

A modified embodiment of the lint-removing device of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 114. Only those portions of the device 114 which are necessary for an understanding of the invention are shown and described. Accordingly, the device 114 includes an annular member 116 which is located below the spider 56 and is supported on the dial plate 18 in a manner similar to the mounting of the annular manifold 88 thereon. That is, the member 116 may be mounted on posts 96 and rollers 99 similarly to the annular manifold 88 which, as noted above, serves to concentrically locate the annular member 116 on the machine 10. The member 116 is provided with circumferentially spaced upwardly extending pins 118. Additionally, the member 116 is adapted to be oscillated or reciprocated similarly to the manifold 88 by the actuator assembly 102, which may be connected to the member 116 in the same manner as the manifold 88 is connected to this assembly.

A fluid conduit 120 is concentric with the member 116 and is spaced outwardly therefrom. The fluid conduit is stationary and includes a plurality of spaced upright mounts 122 (one of which is shown in FIG. 4) which are hollow and communicate with the interior of the fluid conduit. A fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, is supplied to the fluid conduit A nozzle 124 is provided for each mount 122. The nozzle 124 includes a U-shaped end portion 126 which surrounds the pin 118 and is movable with respect thereto. Spaced inwardly from the open or vent end 128 of the nozzle 124 is an opening which receives the hollow mount 122 therein in a fluid-tight seal. Additionally, the nozzle 124 is movable with respect to the mount 122.

In operation, fluid is supplied to the conduit 120 which flows through the mount 122 and the nozzle 124 and exits from the open end 128 of the nozzle. Simultaneously with the movement of the fluid through the nozzle, the member 116 is oscillated in the directions indicated by the double arrowhead 130. Accordingly, as the member 116 moves toward the left, as taken in FIG. 4, the nozzle 124 pivots about the mount 122 until the nozzle assumes the broken line position indicated by the reference numeral 132. As the member 116 moves toward the right, the nozzle 124 pivots about the mount 122 in the opposite direction until the nozzle 124 assumes the position indicated by the broken line drawing 134.

It will therefore be appreciated that the open end 128 of the nozzle is moved from the position 132 to the position 134 as indicated by the double arrowhead 136. Thus, as the nozzle 124 pivots on the mount 122 the jet of fluid issuing from the open end 128 of the nozzle will be directed at different areas or portions of the knitting machine thereby to remove lint from these portions of the knitting machine and prevent the accumulation of lint thereon. Moreover, the elements of FIG. 4 are sized and positioned so that the nozzles 124 will first be directed at one feeder plate and then at one adjacent feeder plate similarly to the operation of the device 86 so that any one nozzle 124 will clean the area between and including at least two ormore feeder plates.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will become obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 the end 126 of the nozzle 124 may be connected to a supply of pressurized fluid by an appropriate flexible coupling so that the fluid which flows through the nozzle will enter the nozzle at the end 126. This will eliminate the necessity of providing a fluid-tight seal between the mount 122 and the nozzle 124 since the air or pressurized fluid need no longer be introduced into nozzle 124 through the mount 122.

What is claimed is:

1. A lint-removing device for use in a circular knitting machine of the dial and cylinder type which includes a top plate, a dial cam plate, a plurality of feeder plates mounted on said dial cam plate, a spider having a plurality of radially extending arms, a bracket for each arm extending between and connected to said top plate and the respective arms to mount said spider on said top plate, means on said dial cam plate engaged by said spider to support said dial cam plate; said lint-removing device comprising a fluid distributing device, support means on said dial cam plate for movably supporting said fluid distributing device, connecting means for connecting said fluid distributing device with a source of fluid under pressure, said fluid distributing device having at least on opening which is positioned to direct the fluid issuing therefrom at at least a preselected one of said plurality of feeder plates, and reciprocating actuating means for reciprocating said fluid distributing device relative to said feeder plates so that said opening is moved over a predetermined area of said knitting machine to maintain said predetermined area free from lint.

2. A lint-removing device as in claim 1, in which said fluid distributing device includes an annular manifold,

said connecting means connecting said annular manifold with a source of fluid under pressure, at least one nozzle extending radially from said manifold, said nozzle having an opening sized and positioned to direct a jet of fluid at at least one of said feeder plates, whereby a fluid entering said manifold is exhausted through the opening in said nozzle.

3. A lint-removing device as in claim 2, wherein said annular manifold is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzles, each one of said nozzles having an opening for directing a fluid against preselected ones of said feeder plates, whereby said annular manifold is adapted to be reciprocated by said actuating means to move said nozzles over predetermined areas of said knitting machine to remove the lint therefrom.

4. A lint-removing device as in claim 3, in which said manifold includes a top, a bottom and inner and outer walls; said support means including a plurality of posts upstanding from said dial cam plate; each of said posts being provided with a roller having a radially extending flange spaced below the top of said posts and adapted to engage the bottom wall of said annular manifold; said posts being sized and positioned to locate said manifold concentrically with respect to the central axis of said machine; said radial flanges being spaced from said dial cam plate by a distance suflicient to raise said nozzles above the top surface of said feeder plates.

5. A lint-removing device as in claim 3, wherein said actuating device includes a double-ended piston adapted to be moved in a first and second direction, and connecting means connecting said piston with said annular manifold for alternately moving said annular manifold in a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction corresponding to the movement of said piston in said first and second direction.

6. A lint-removing device as in claim 1, in which said support means includes an annular member concentric with the central axis of said machine and rotatably supported on said dial cam plate, a stationary annular manifold concentric with said annular member and having a greater diameter than said annular member, said connecting means connecting said annular manifold with a source of fluid under pressure, said actuating means being connected to said annular member for reciprocating said annular member in a first and second direction, an upstanding pin on said annular member, a nozzle having a U- shaped end engaging said pin and being rotatable with respect thereto and a vent end, pivot means pivotally mounting said nozzle on said manifold and being connected thereto in an airtight connection to provide a path for the passage of a fluid between said manifold and said nozzle so that the fluid in said manifold exits through the opening in said nozzle, whereby oscillation of said member causes said nozzle to pivot about said pivot means and said pin to sweep the open end of said nozzle through a predetermined area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,707 8/1910 Rogginger 66-l34 XR 2,538,659 1/1957 Sharp 66168 2,846,860 8/1958 Shortland 66168 FOREIGN PATENTS 807,049 l/1959 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner. 

